Field of the Disclosure
The present disclosure relates to a protective nozzle top assembly for use with turf type sprinklers for in-ground installation.
Related Art
Water distribution nozzle assemblies of the type that are removable and changeable from an exposed top of in-ground installed sprinklers need to provide protection for the nozzle assembly from lawn maintenance equipment, such as line trimmers i.e. Weed Eater™ etc. or the wheels of powered lawn mowers. Such nozzle assemblies also should include enhanced protection from intrusion of dirt and debris into the nozzle assembly. U.S. Pat. No. 7,600,699 shows a typical pop-up type irrigation sprinkler that utilizes a riser that pops up from an in-ground installed stationary sprinkler body. The exposed top of the nozzle assembly is the uppermost part of the exposed top of the in-ground exposed sprinkler.
Because of the ever increasing cost of water and the desire to save water, more complicated nozzle assemblies, such as that disclosed in co-pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/947,571, filed Nov. 29, 2007, the contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference herein, are being used in in-ground sprinklers. Because of the cost and complexity of such nozzle assemblies, there is an increased need to better protect them from damage and dirt from the surrounding soil.
Accordingly, it would be desirable to provide a protective nozzle top.